Milo: Thailand’s Most Popular Chocolate Drink?

Shelves and shelves of Milo at my local Tesco Lotus in Bangkok.
Shelves and shelves of Milo at my local Tesco Lotus in Bangkok.

 

Milo, the chocolate malt beverage, is probably just about the most popular chocolate drink in Thailand. Sold in most restaurant and cafes, either cold or hot, and at hundreds of thousands of street stalls all over Thailand, Milo chocolate drink is loved by Thais who usually grow up having drunk gallons of it when they were a kid. Why? It’s delicious both iced or hot and can be drunk by everyone as it has a lot less caffeine than coffee or tea.

I don’t buy that much Milo chocolate drink in Thailand as it does have more calories than the green tea or iced coffee I normally drink. But, I do occasionally grab a bag of 3-in-1 Milo from my local supermarket to make at home as, for only 37 baht ($1.20), you get 5 packets of single-serve Milo chocolate malt powder complete with sugar and dried milk.

All you do is open one packet, pour the Milo chocolate powder into a mug or a glass and add hot water if you like it hot, or cold water and ice if you prefer it cold. Takes two minutes and tastes delicious, particularly at night right before you go to bed.

If you choose to buy Milo chocolate malt beverage at any street stall in Thailand, you’ll not usually pay more than 15-20 baht (50-67 baht per drink). You can even watch the street stall seller make it right in front of you.

Ordering Milo chocolate milk in a cafe or a restaurant is, of course, more expensive — as high as 60 baht ($2) depending on the place. That’s why, if you’re jonesing for a glass of Milo, grab one at a street stall near you. It’s just the same as your local Bangkok or Chiang Mai coffee shop and, in many respects, even more delicious, yet a fraction of the price.

Milo chocolate malt beverage is also sold in supermarkets, 7-11s and convenience stores all over Thailand. You can buy the 3-in-1 Milo, like I usually do. Or, you can choose to buy the Milo chocolate powder in small or large bags and add your own milk and sugar. You can even buy it as a boxed drink in the refrigerator section, ready to push a straw into and drink.

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